Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Federal Government said on Friday that it had developed a guideline for private health care facilities to participate in the support and possible treatment of COVID-19 patients in Nigeria.
The new guideline, according to government, was in response to public outcry for increased participation in response to the COVID-19 pandemic particularly testing and possible treatment.
Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), who disclosed the information in a tweet on Friday, registered its optimism that the coming on board of private health care facilities would increase response action for COVID-19.
The tweet reads: “The accreditation committee set up by the Federal Ministry of Health and led by Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, has developed guidelines for accreditation of private health facilities to support the response to COVID-19 in Nigeria.”
NCDC Director-General, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, who spoke at one of the daily media briefing of the presidential task force on COVID-19, encouraged private facilities who have the basic required facilities and personnel to inform the NCDC and necessary things would be done.
“If we receive such request, we would dispatch our team to assess the facilities to be sure they meet the minimum global standard. In the event, they lack anything, we would advise and support them on what to do to upgrade their facilities,” he said.
He cited the example of a private laboratory in Kaduna currently being used and the new ones being assessed in Awka and Nnewi both in Anambra State that would come up as soon as possible if they meet the basic requirements.